The Evolution of Ray Tracing in Video Games

The panel discusses the evolution of ray tracing in video games and its potential future. They highlight the initial challenges in adopting ray tracing, including limited ray counts and the need for denoisers. The experts discuss how game scenes already looked great with existing rendering techniques, making the need for ray tracing less obvious. They also mention the importance of artist tools and simplicity in algorithms, explaining that ray tracing allows for simpler and more physically accurate rendering. The panelists touch on the challenges of massive geometry, the need for hardware improvements, and the ongoing efforts to optimize ray tracing algorithms. They conclude that ray tracing is the future of high-quality graphics in games, but emphasize the need for continued innovation and infrastructure development.